Blood tests. A technician obtains a sample of your blood by inserting a needle into a vein, usually in your arm.

Urine tests. This painless test requires you to urinate into a container. To avoid potential contamination of the sample, you may be instructed to cleanse your genital area with an antiseptic pad and to collect the urine midstream.

Throat swabs. Samples from your throat, or other moist areas of your body, may be obtained with a sterile swab.

Stool sample. You may be instructed to collect a stool sample so a lab can check the sample for parasites and other organisms.

Spinal tap (lumbar puncture). This procedure obtains a sample of your cerebrospinal fluid through a needle carefully inserted between the bones of your lower spine. You'll usually be asked to lie on your side with your knees pulled up toward your chest.

Imaging scans

Imaging procedures — such as X-rays, computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging — can help pinpoint diagnoses and rule out other conditions that may be causing your symptoms.

Biopsies

During a biopsy, a tiny sample of tissue is taken from an internal organ for testing. For example, a biopsy of lung tissue can be checked for a variety of fungi that can cause a type of pneumonia.

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